Thursday, December 25, 2008

Coat Progress 3


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This is the collar edge, showing the hand topstitching I've been doing. I wanted it to look somewhat like saddle stitching, although it's kind of a hybrid between prickstitch and backstitch. I've done this around the pockets, flaps, collar and on both front edges. I used 2 strands of Mettler's Silk-finish Cotton thread.

Here is the way I did the stitching if you're interested. Pull out a very long length of thread, double it and thread your needle with both ends. Tie a knot in those two ends. This ensures that when you want to go back a stitch or two to correct things, as you will, you can just unthread your needle, pull out the stitching and re-thread.

I stitched right to left. Come up with your thread a stitch-length to the left of where you want to begin. Insert your needle to the right, at your desired starting point. Come up again a stitch length to the left of your first stitch. Continue this way until you're done. This allows for fairly long stitch lengths, which is what I wanted, while still doing the work of an edge stitch even though the stitch is long and fairly loose so that the stitching won't disappear in the pile of the fabric.

It's easy to keep your line straight by using your thread and needle as a guide. Make sure you've inserted your needle so that you're going straight before you push it all the way through and up again. Use a needle that's at least an inch and a half long for this so you can line it up with the stitching you've already done. Too short a needle is not the thing for this, at least with fabric this thick. You can also hold the length of the thread out ahead of your work to judge where you're going, especially on angles or curves.

Here's my coat as it is right now, hemmed, unlined, sleeve hems pinned, and the coat pinned closed at the neck only. I still need to find buttons I like. That will be my after Christmas project.


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I have the lining just about ready to go in now, and I'm having such fun working with the silk charmeuse. My new Pfaff sews it just like a dream. I tried a 1.5mm stitch length, as promoted by Linda Lee, and it looks gorgeous. I can hardly wait to sew something else with charmeuse. It's been a long time since I did anything with it but line jackets.

8 comments:

Sally said...

I've been waiting anxiously to see your progress and surely wasn't disappointed. It's gorgeous--it looks as if the sleeve "stripes" even match! You should be very proud. Can't wait to see it on you. Sally

NancyDaQ said...

What a beautiful coat! I hope you had a nice Christmas.

Nancy K said...

Oh that is absolutely gorgeous! The hand stitching is perfect. Looking forward to seeing you in it.

Birgitte said...

This coat is looking so good! You made the match-up perfectly and I can see this on you, so lush and elegant.
I love working with silk charmeuse as well, just dyed 2 yards and am in the process of quilting it onto DD's coat.

Dana said...

Your coat is breath-taking! What fun it will be to wear that.

Mardel said...

Oh the coat is just so yummy and lovely. You are going to look so elegant in that coat and it is turning out to be every bit as beautiful as I dreamed it might be.

I love working with silk charmeuse, or I used to since I haven't done it in a while.

Sheila said...

Happy Holiday. Your coat is gorgeous and like the detail of the hand stitching.

Opal said...

Lovely coat and I love your chose of buttons